


Recovery

by TheGingerSnap



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Custom Shepard (Mass Effect), F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Krista Shepard, Mass Effect 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 12:16:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12770880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGingerSnap/pseuds/TheGingerSnap
Summary: Krista Shepard finally gets to see Kaidan after he almost dies on Mars, and fear nearly holds her back.What will she say to him? Will he forgive her for Cerberus? What about their relationship? Will he even recover?- My take on the hospital conversation from Mass Effect: 3 with a romanced Kaidan.





	Recovery

**Author's Note:**

> First post to AO3! 
> 
> I've been writing fic for a long time (relative.... I've only been super involved in fandom culture for a few years) but i've never posted it anywhere. 
> 
> I have no beta readers - if you see any mistakes I'm sorry >.< (feel free to point them out and I'll fix them lol)

Kris took a breath to steady herself, standing outside the door to the hospital room. Her hand was raised, omnitool at the ready, but the dread in her gut was keeping her from interfacing the door. 

“Are you in need of assistance?” One of the salarian doctors asked her. 

“No, thank you.” Kris said. The doctor looked skeptical but left her alone. 

“Come on Krista you can do this” She mumbled to herself, sending a command to the door interface to open. She stepped inside, and Kaidan turned to look at the noise. 

Plainly put, he looked like hell. Bruises covered most of his upper body, and beneath his eyes were dark from bruising as well as (most likely) lack of sleep. His hair was mussed up, sticking up in all sorts of strange directions, and stubble was covering his face down his neck. They probably hadn’t even let him out of bed. 

“Hey, Shepard” He said, the corner of his mouth tugging up into a small smile. His voice broke through her daze, and spurred her into action. She walked over to his bedside, dragging a stool behind her and sitting down next to him. 

“Jesus Kaidan. You scared the shit out of me” She said. She reached her hand out to touch him, but everywhere was covered in bruises. He looked so fragile. Her hand fell back so her side. 

“I pulled through. Doc says I’ll make a full recovery” He said. Kris scoffed, and they both fell silent for a few moments.

“Have they been treating you okay?” She asked, looking down at her hands.

“Yeah. Your name pulls a lot of weight around here. When you brought me in and they found out who I was they flew in a specialist. Though I think she’s more interested in the fact that I have an L2 implant” He said. 

“Have the migraines been bad?” Kris asked, she knew he got them pretty bad whenever the implant was acting up. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like in this situation. 

“They’ve had me pretty drugged up. Haven’t been awake for most of them” He said. Kris nodded. 

“What about the biotics? You’re gonna be okay right?” She asked, her nerves balling into a pit of nausea in her stomach.

“Yeah. Docs said it got…rattled.” He said.

“Technical term?” Kris asked, laughing a bit. Kaidan rolled his eyes. 

“Well. They said a bunch but that’s what I got from it. Just supposed to lay off the biotics for a while”

“You better. We need the best against the reapers. That means you” She said, and meant it. Kaidan was one of the best damn soldiers she had ever met.

“Yeah. Udina actually came in the other day about that stuff. They want to make me a spectre” Kaidan said.

“About damn time.” Kris said grinning. “Are you going to accept?”

“I don’t know yet. I wanted to ask you about it. You know, the only human spectre” he joked.

“Hopefully not for long. Those resources let you help a lot more people without as many Alliance ties bogging you down” Kris said. And it was true. She didn’t like to throw the weight around unless she needed too but spectre status really helped with dealing with bureaucrats. 

“Yeah. They were gonna have a ceremony and everything, to raise morale and support for the humans and the war against the reapers.” He said, looking out the window. Clearly he didn’t like the idea of celebrating while so many were dying, but he understood. 

“Morale is in short supply nowadays. Spectre Alenko has a nice ring to it too” She said, trying to lift his spirits.

“I guess it does” He said, chuckling. Once again, they lapsed into silence. They were running out of things to talk about before the elephant in the room. 

“Kaidan. On Horizon... are we going to be able to get past that?” Kris asked softly, wringing her hands. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. 

“I was confused. I don’t think I was wrong about Cerberus, but I was wrong about you. I know you were just trying to stop the collectors. And god when I heard that you were going through the Omega 4 relay….I want you in my life, Shepard”

“Kris” She corrected, with a smile. 

“I want you in my life, Kris. I do. As friends, as more than friends…We’re good together.” Kaidan said.

“We do make a hell of a team” Kris said. It was no lie. They had each other’s backs through everything – until she died. But even though he had harbored anger against her, working together was as easy as breathing. The world as they knew it was being destroyed but at least Kris had her rock, her Lieutenant. Well, Major now. Kaidan spoke again, pulling Kris out of her memories. 

“And I want you to know I haven’t been seeing anyone. Even if you and me don’t happen now, or if we never happen. I just want you to know I care about you” He said. Kris reached out and he took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. 

“I haven’t either.” Kris said. She snorted, “And I’ve gotten some pretty tempting breeding offers from Krogans on Tuchanka”

Kaidan laughed and then grabbed his side. Kris fussed over him but he waved her away. She grumbled at him but he took her hand and kissed it. Kris’ face flushed red and she looked away. 

“Can’t believe I can make the great Commander Shepard, first human spectre and savior of the galaxy, blush like a schoolgirl” Kaidan teased. 

“You are so lucky I can’t punch you right now” Kris said. Kaidan laughed at her but Kris smiled. They would get past Horizon. They could get past anything the galaxy threw at them. Hell, the galaxy killed her and she came back for her killer with a vengeance. Kaidan would follow Shepard to hell and back, and Kris would do the same for him. 

“Get better soon, Major. I need you on my ship” Kris said. 

“Is that an order?”

“Damn straight it is” She said, leaning in and kissing him on the forehead before standing up to leave. “Keep in touch, Kaidan” 

“Will do, Kris” He replied, and the smile that that statement put on her face lasted the whole way back to the Normandy.


End file.
